After President Obama let slip that his daughters were hoping to meet soccer star Lionel Messi, the player said even though the meeting didn’t work out he’d be “proud” to meet Obama and his family.

The president made his comment during his vacation in Buenos Aires revealing that Sasha and Malia had urged him to arrange for them to meet the Barcelona soccer star. Obama, though, said he was unable to make the meeting happen.

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But not long after Messi expressed his surprise that the president of the United States and is family were fans and noted he’d love to meet them.

“Obviously, I was surprised that he said that, but on the contrary, for me it would be completely the opposite,” Messi told TyC Sports.

“For me it would be a source of great pride to be able to meet him and his daughters, but obviously I know it would be complicated,” Messi added.

“I don’t know whether it is possible,” the striker concluded. “Maybe he made the comment because he was in Argentina but I can say I was as surprised as everyone else.”

While in Argentina, Obama also made time to praise San Antonio Spurs player and Argentine native Manu Ginobili as one of the NBA’s greats.

“I can confirm that Ginobili is not only good, but one of the best players in the world. Argentines should be proud because he is a great champion,” Obama told a crowd of entrepreneurs at a speech at the Usina del Arte auditorium in Buenos Aries.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com